Production Operator - West Hershey

The Hershey Company; Hershey (PA); On-site; USD 22,000 - 30,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) match

Stock purchase plan

Life insurance

Advancement opportunities

Job summary

The Hershey Company in Hershey, PA is seeking a Production Operator for our West Hershey site. The role involves operating processing and packaging lines, fork truck operation, and routine quality checks on a rotating shift schedule.

Minimum qualifications include a high school diploma/GED, ability to read and write English, basic math, and willingness to work a 24-hour shift pattern with overtime. We offer a comprehensive benefits package and opportunities for advancement from day one.

Qualifications

• Must be able to read, write, and comprehend English.
• Basic math and measurement skills.
• Able to operate in a fast-paced manufacturing setting.
• Willingness to work any shift, including weekends and holidays.

Responsibilities

• Operate processing and/or packaging equipment.
• Operate a forklift truck.
• Perform quality checks (metal detectors, date codes, weights) and assist maintenance.
• Adhere to GMP, safety procedures and housekeeping standards.

Skills

Reading & writing English

Basic math

Flexibility for shifts

Education

High School diploma or GED

Tools

SAP

LPR

Job description

Select how often (in days) to receive an alert:

Note:If you apply for a role at Hershey through our career’s website, we may use technologies that use automation to filter your candidacy based on objective criteria. We also use AI-enabled tools that help us facilitate the selection of our future Hershey talent. These tools may help with activities such as matching and scoring candidates to roles based on requirements and scheduling interviews. These systems process only the information you provide in your application, including your resume, work history, education, and responses to screening questions. While these technologies assist with certain steps in our recruitment process and may provide recommendations, all final decisions, including those affecting whether candidates advance to subsequent stages in the applicant process, are made by our talent acquisition teams with meaningful human review and independent judgment. Depending on your location and the specific role you apply for, additional disclosures about our use of AI in recruitment may be provided to you separately.

Production Operator - West Hershey

Posted Date: Oct 30, 2026

Requisition Number: 130965

Why Hershey:

At The Hershey Company, our culture is rooted in purpose and inspired by Milton Hershey’s enduring vision that business should create opportunity for others. Through our commitment to corporate philanthropy, we create positive impact by supporting communities, helping children thrive, and operating as a business for good. This includes our deep and long standing partnership with Milton Hershey School, where we invest in education, workforce readiness, and hands on engagement to help students succeed beyond the classroom. Supported by strategic grantmaking, product donations, cross brand collaboration, and strong employee volunteerism, Hershey offers a place to work where making a difference—locally and globally is part of how we do business every day.

Job Location: Hershey, PA

Start Date: Two Hiring Classes, Starting on January 11, 2027 and January 25, 2027

Come Make More Moments of Goodness with us as a Production Operator!

Shift Differentials & Overtime Potential!

Eligibility to bid for higher graded positions after Day 1

Total Rewards:

• 401(k) Retirement Plan – with generous company match
• Hershey Stock Purchase Program
• Life Insurance and Short-Term Disability
• Career Advancement Opportunities starting Day 1!

Shifts:

• We require that you are flexible to work any shift, weekends, overtime, and holidays.
• Schedule assignment upon hire is determined by plant needs. Once your training period begins, you will be assigned to a shift and/or schedule based on current plant need. You will be eligible to bid on other schedules, shifts and jobs.
• Traditional Work Schedule (TWS): Regular schedule is 8-hour shifts, Monday through Friday. Mandatory overtime could be weekly (scheduled for up to 12 hours/day, Monday through Sunday), daily (additional 4 hours on your 8-hour shift) and weekends (8 to 12-hour shifts).
• Continuous Operations Schedule (COS): 12-hour rotating schedule requiring 7 workdays in a 14-day period.

Job Description:

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Operating processing and/or packaging equipment.
• Operating a fork truck
• Following and interpreting information from processes including, performing various quality checks (i.e., metal detectors, date codes, and weight systems) and following Autonomous Maintenance Programs (cleaning, inspecting, and lubricating equipment)
• Observing all safety procedures, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), and good housekeeping practices

Minimum Qualifications:

• At least 18 years of age
• Authorized to work in the United States
• Proof of completion of a High School diploma/GED program
• Ability to read, write, and comprehend English
• Ability to understand and perform basic mathematics
• Basic computer knowledge with ability to find and enter information
• Must be flexible to work any shift during a 24-hour period (1st / 2nd / 3rd) and any variation of shift length (e.g., 8 hours or 12 hours) 1st / 2nd / 3rd (8- or 12-hour shifts). Must be available to work weekends, holidays and overtime

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in a manufacturing/food manufacturing environment including the following: Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), Safe Quality Foods (SQF), Autonomous/Preventative Maintenance, Continuous Improvement, and Warehouse Management Systems such as SAP/LPR.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable a qualified individual with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position as required by state and federal law:

• Must be able to lift up to 50 lbs.
• Work from heights and in confined spaces
• Repetitive use of hands, wrists, and forearms
• Walking and standing for the majority of the shift
• Reaching, bending, stooping, and crawling
• Ability to work around large magnets

The Hershey Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The policy of The Hershey Company is to extend opportunities to qualified applicants and employees on an equal basis regardless of an individual's race, color, gender, age, national origin, religion, citizenship status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, transgender status, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other categories protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.

The Hershey Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer - Minority/Female/Disabled/Protected Veterans.

You may request a reasonable accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to use or access our online application process as a result of a disability.

To request an accommodation via phone, please call [phone] and leave a voicemail with your contact information. You may also email a request for accommodation to [e-mail]. Please be sure to include “Accommodation Needed” in the subject line. This will ensure that your email is routed to the appropriate contact who will handle your request.